LOADING
by RequiemTales
Summary: The world is a twisted, unnatural place. Through the infinite we find ourselves grasping at straws. What is the purpose of this world? What does it mean to find happiness in a void, where all things are temporary? What is the purpose of finding hope in a broken world? Find hope. Find it. Keep it. You will need it.
1. Chapter 1

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**Load Complete.**

_**ANOTHER TRIAL. WHICH SET OF VARIABLES WILL THIS ONE USE?**_

The Fallen Child rose slowly as they dusted themselves off from the near-death experience they'd grown accustomed to. The fall from the surface should have killed them, but the patch of yellow flowers broke their fall, as it always did. That smiling flower had nearly killed them, but they had been saved. Saved by a _monster. Again._

From beneath their hair was a glint of red could be seen, like a grim light burning in the child's eye. Behind the child, a figure could be seen for just an instant. It was tall, and ragged like a living shadow, but its eyes burned just like the light from within the Fallen Child's own eyes. The entity's form flowed into the child, and the light faded. The Fallen Child looked over to see the retreating back of the kind goat woman. Glancing down at their hands, a wicked smile crossed the fallen one's face. Before it was replaced by an utterly empty gaze, with that they took their first step into the underground.

_**HMM. THIS STORY AGAIN? IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME. WILL THEY REACH THE END? WILL THEY FIND IT IN THEMSELVES TO STOP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE? THESE REDUNDANT, RECURSIVE QUESTIONS ARE POINTLESS. THE SEQUENCE IS THE SAME. ENDLESSLY. REPEATING. FOREVER.**_

The ruins were silent, as the child followed behind the caretaker of the once lively outskirts. Dust billowed into the house behind them. They spent a long moment staring into a mirror in the hallway. Each movement was calm, premeditated. Eventually find themselves in a hallway, alone with the caretaker. The massive doors to the rest of the underground behind her.

_**AGAIN, THE QUEEN FALLS. SHE WAS TOO SOFT TO CHALLENGE A CREATURE LIKE THIS. IT SHOWS EXPERIENCE. IT UNDERSTOOD ITS ACTIONS. IT HAS DONE THIS BEFORE. SUCCEEDED TOO. MALEVOLENT. TRULY A HUMAN THROUGH AND THROUGH.**_

The Child walked through the doors, hands shaking as the last bits of the caretaker's form faded into a dusty pile at the end of the hall, a drop of clear liquid found itself nestled within it. It too faded away with the breeze.

**+1**

_**HMM. WHAT IS THAT? DID A VARIABLE...CHANGE? SOME UNKNOWN VALUE? SOME TINY VARIABLE? INTERESTING. THIS SEEKS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. LET'S MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT INSTANCE.**_

The Fallen Child looked down at the head of the fallen skeleton, the final words of the monster burned in the child's chest. He believed in them. It hurt. It hurt! The burning had to be purged. The child kicked the skeleton's head into a cloud of dust. Angrily wiping at their eyes as the dust-filled their vision. There were no tears! It was just the dust in their eyes! They raged, gritting their teeth, before dropping their hands to their side.

Once again the vacant expression overcame them, and they moved onwards, almost robotically.

**+2**

_**WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS IT? **_

The Fallen child stepped forwards, the last of the spears faded into the void. The energy that had been humming was around them was gone. It was normal again. The world was not going to stop them. It _wasn't_ going to stop them. They had to continue. The image of the fallen royal guard's smiling face flickered behind the ruined molten dust. The tired eyes of the fallen whisked away tears as they turned and looked towards Hotland, eyes that for a moment were red and puffy, became cold and blank. The CORE awaited them.

**+3**

_**THIS REVERBERATION...THIS IS SYNCHRONIZATION? WITH WHAT? HOW...UNEXPECTED. THIS RECURSION IS BECOMING VERY, VERY INTERESTING...**_

The machine looked like ruined materials more than the human-like android it had been. The power of LOVE and EXP had destroyed the offensive machine in an instant. The loss of the singing, dancing robot was hard, their single dream to entertain, to bring happiness to others. The empty eye socket of the fallen robot that once held their soul had a momentary glimmer within it. Then it was gone. The child could not be stopped.

**+4**

_Hmm. With each of the major events, the ripple grows. The light fades from the world, only to be reborn the wake. We must examine the wavelength..._

_**SO, WITH EACH MAJOR BATTLE, EACH MAJOR EVENT THIS RIPPLE, THIS REVERBERATION GROWS. THE LIGHTS OF THIS WORLD FADE AWAY IN ASHES AND DUST, ONLY TO BE REBORN IN THE RIPPLE'S WAKE. WE MUST EXAMINE THE WAVELENGTH...**_

The hall of judgment. Speckled with red, the final moments of the last defender, the one who had watched from the sidelines. He'd tried to keep his promises, but in the end, it all came collapsing down. His brother was gone, his friends, his neighbors, but in the end, he clung to that promise and the hopes of his fallen brother. Now all that was left in The Fallen Child was LOVE. They had killed everyone who would challenge them. Grillby's. Images of a better time, happier, flashed through the child's mind, but of the tears that fell, one was black and vile. The other clear and pure. The child was a twisted thing. Wretched. Sick. Broken. Then there was nothing. Nothing but emptiness.

**+5**

_**EVEN NOW? IT HAS ENDED. YET THE RIPPLES GROW LARGER? WHAT REMAINS...?**_

The King had fallen. It was swift and brutal, no one was left in the underground. No one except his attacker, and his killer. The Fallen Child, and the flower. The small flower was quivering, begging for its life. This was it, the last creature being between the child and the six souls. Between a monster and the Apex. The child raised their knife.

*Nothing Happened

The Child Raised their knife!

*Nothing Happened

The Child Raised Their knife!

*Nothing Happened

The Child Rai-

**+6**

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**L O A D**

** E**

Ḻ̸̨̧̡͍̜̤̩͔̤͔͉̗̠̜̣̠̆̿ͯ̄̏͐ͤ̇̅̓͟õ̧ͦ͒ͭ͛̓ͭ͋ͪͫ͋͘͏҉͍̞̦̞͇̠̲͕̤̘̭̬̺̮̹͉ͅc̨ͩ̅̇͆̀ͧ̾͛̄̽̾͒̀͏̫̮̭͙̼̰̭̣̩̻̭̟̀a̺̺͙̲͈ͪ̔̀͊̓̈̇̽͂̌̐́́͡͠͞t̴͔̦̯̟̙̰̹̖̳͚̘͙́̄̌ͪ̌͂̈̀̎͂̎̕ḭ̷̵͔͎̩̭͕̲̜̖̖͓̭͍̟ͦͯ̐ͩ̉͐̽̾ͭͩ͐̐ͧ̋͢ͅo̡̲̼̫̻̘ͤ̌̋ͭ̄ͨ̑̅ͤ̉̓͛ͮ̚͟͝n̨̫̩̞͚̤͈̜̻̻̣̘̭̪̮ͪ̽ͪ̃̏͆̊͂ͥ̔̉̄͜͝:ͧ̅̈́̉ͥ̇̔͌ͯͨ̚҉̳̥̭͙͈͚͔͉̩̺̖ ̠͍̪͕̺̱̻̠̞ͩ́͐̆ͮͬͧͪ̃̉ͩ̄̿͒̑̚͠͞D̷̡̛ͣͭ̋ͭ̽͌͋̆̓͒̎͗ͫ̒͋ͪ̍͏̜̭̣̫̺̼͚̲͖̗͜o̶̴̤͍͖̪͉̙̳̤̘̜̽̎͗̾̄̇̀͞ͅm̦̞̫͉̲͕̖̥̞͖̗̥̓̐̅ͨ͐̕͡a̧̦͈̥̲͓̙͛͋́ͨ͟i̵̷͚̺͍͖̣̜͍̭̤̦͎͓̹̟̙̇̐̋̑̌̏̐͋ͯ͑ͦ̀͢ͅͅn̶̛͇͚̮̹̦̰͕͈̤̐ͩͬ̿̆̓ ͓͉̭͖̜͇̜̯̜̤͖͓̰̳͉̪̣̣͂͛̽ͪͥ͗̔͗̈́ͩ͛̅ͩ̅͐͡͞ͅớ͚̗̰̮͙̩͚̬́̔ͣ͐̽ͦ̈́ͯͯ͑̇̚̕͢f̵̞̼͍̠͚͉̤̙ͬ̾̐̇ͩ͘̕͠ ̨͉̥͉̞̮͙̼̜̳͙̩̙̖͙͎̦̥̄̇͐̏ͦͯ̃ͫͬ̓̔R̨̡̝̻̭̳̟̯̺̩̅̌͑͒̌̀̒ͥͣ͌̑͞eͬ̓͊̏ͤ̐ͦ͠҉̛̫̘̘͎̲͔̫͙g͂ͣ̏ͤ̏ͩ͋̅͆͑͋̽̾͒͏̵̘̳͉͕̫̞͓̩͖̠͕̙̭͚̘̩̞̝̀̕͜r̐ͦ̀ͫͮ̽̒̎̓̚͏̷͎̩͖̭̫e̵͎̹͚̥̗̭̬̗͖̳͂̒ͨ̿͋͊̉̉̓͑ͯ͌̀̚ṭ̱̩͚̩̙̺̖̳̬̘̬̝̩̲ͪ̈́͛ͭ͢

The Fallen Child glanced around; the world was different. The throne room filled with flowers had disappeared. The castle was gone, all that remained was the Fallen Child, and Flowey the flower. That, and the things that floated around them both. It was a collection, twelve small spheres floating around in a circle. Pure, crystalized. Six Regrets. Six Souls. They all beat as one.

**Why?**

**Why did you come back?**

**Did you lack satisfaction?**

The echoes of the six human souls and the six crystalized regrets called out to the Fallen Child, and the flower beside them. The other was here as well, that spirit, that raging monster. Not the First Child, nor the Fallen Child. It was the essence of malevolence, it burrowed itself into the world, deeper and deeper each time that the world fell. It was the essence of the broken souls, the incarnation of GENOCIDE itself. It too had been revealed by the strange occurrence.

For the first time in this recurrence, the Fallen Child seemed alive. As if something terrible had escaped the moment that they had landed. So when they spoke, it was free of influence. These words came from their heart. "I...lived with them. I loved them. So many times, different choices, different ways. Nothing changed. In the end-" The child paused, a hiccup escaping their lips, tears now flowing freely. Rubbing their face against their sleeves trying to dry the tears before they fell. Then suddenly with a deep, ragged breath, the child stopped crying, their voice had grown dark. The red light burning in their eyes. _"__**They**_...found us..."

The Malevolent figure grew larger, stronger, and with a breath, the entire world crackled. The white world had veins of blackness to it as if something was trying to reach in, seep into the ruined world and consume it altogether.

"There is no happy ending! Just pain. Terrible pain. I thought, I thought I could change it. If I was strong enough. I thought I could help them. I-I-I would rather end it...rather than seeing-" The child raged, scared, and angry. Then they became empty again as the shadow crept up behind them, its tendrils wrapping around the child.

"Don't go running from us now, **Partner**. Are you going to **Save** them, or not?" the Malevolence spoke, a crackling voice, that sent shivers down the spine. It was evil. It was cruelty. It was every evil that had been born by the heart of man, and it was a force that always returned. Every Reset. Every Twist. It watched. It hungered. It was there. **Kill or Be Killed**.

The twelve energies pulsed against, and the darkness receded for a moment. The specter raged, but it had given the child a moment to pull away and look at the figure. They were shocked at what they saw, and with a shake of their head backed away.

"You- You aren't my partner!" The Fallen Child and Flowey yelled at the entity at the same time, the flower glanced at the child. What had they seen? What did they know? Despite still carrying the dagger that had slain the underground, Flowey decided to stay beside the child. It was probably safer with them.

The formless evil chuckled. Slim hands formed in the shadows, slowly taking form and shape. It was the First Child. The one that Flowey had called out for, his best friend. Though they looked older, thinner, and instead of eyes they had vacant pits that burned like a flame.

"I am The Apex itself! You all are merely my puppets." It roared, shaking the very fabric of the world they were in, the cracks beginning to grow. In its hand, a wicked knife appeared, no normal smith would make such a twisted and horrible thing. It was a creation of nightmares. "This has been an interesting diversion, but this world line has served its purpose. Time for it all to come to an end!" The knife burned in the hands of the Malevolent being. The world trembled. If it broke, everything ended.

_**NO. NOT YET! WE ARE SO CLOSE. THE READINGS, THE ALIGNMENTS. THIS WORLD LINE. THIS TIME. SOMETHING IS-!**_

The Apex brought the blade down, cutting deep into the world twisting space and time itself until nothing remained. _Until Nobody Came_.

_**FAILURE? HOW UNFORTUNATE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THAT STRANGE-**_

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**L O A D**

** E**

The Apex stood confused, their blade held aloft just before the strike. With a single strike, the world twisted again. Nothing remained. Nobody ca-

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**L O A D**

** E**

The Apex stood confused, their blade held aloft just before the strike. With a single strike, the world twisted again. Nothing remained. Nobo-

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**L O A D**

** E**

The Apex stood confused, their blade held aloft just before the strike. With a single strike, the world twisted again.

_**A CLOSED-LOOP? JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD, FOR AN INSTANT, SOMETHING HAD MORE DETERMINATION THAN THE FALLEN ONE. INTERESTING. VERY, VERY INTERESTING. PERHAPS I CAN-**_

**L O A D**

** E**

The Apex stood confused, their blade held aloft just before the strike once again. It was almost entertaining to see the bewildered face they wore, the face of the First Child creased with confusion, before swinging their blade. This time blow never came. Energy filled the void, a form beyond the ideas of six souls, and six regrets. It was a forgotten monster, one that could not have been there. Yet the determination of those gathered had changed something. With each loop the recursion, the building regrets brought the timeline in sync with 'THE VOID'

"INTERESTING. I FEEL-" The figure started, but the Apex moved to strike the stranger, but the pulse of six hearts as one, gave the newly incarnated monster the power to flicker from the very place that the attack had intended to destroy. "- SUCH DETERMINATION!"

The Apex growled and looked to the Child and Flowey, sources of EXP, and power for it to drain. It lunged towards them, instead, a ripple appeared between them. The creature roared against the invisible wall.

"DON'T YOU KNOW? IT IS RUDE TO ATTACK ANOTHER WHEN YOU HAVE A PERFECTLY GOOD OPPONENT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU? YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE LISTENED ALL THOSE TIMES YOU HEARD THESE WORDS. BEWARE-" The power of six human souls, knowledge of the void, of the very building blocks of reality, and all the power to wield it made it impossible for The Apex to break free as space itself fought against them, but their DETERMINATION would never allow them to lose either. The creature would eventually overcome them, every moment it seemed to grow stronger and stronger. The monster from the void struggled to finish its words, but it held out. Hope existed. They knew it.

Flowey and The Fallen Child were forced to back away from the destruction as reality burned around them. For the child, there was no relief in the appearance of the strange monster instead they were horrified. They had believed in it! They had believed that _**THING**_. Trusted it! They had allowed themselves to follow their whims because they had given them something to cling to. That there was nothing, no hope. That only death, killing their friends with their own hands, could save them from a worse fate. Every pain burned in their chest, and they fell to their knees. Tears falling onto the white floor.

**+7**

**+9**

**+17**

**+32**

**+53**

The Fallen Child lamented the stupidity they had allowed to consume them. How many times had they destroyed everything, only to find themselves back in those ruins? To find that they had failed. Could they call it the actions of another? They had been the one who always had to allow it, they were the ones that allowed the world to burn over and over again. In the end, they were the monster. They just wanted everyone to be happy. Pulling up the menu, they found it was heavily corrupted. Damage consumed everything. Instead of the usual items, settings, and parts, there were a few short lines of text:

***||||||:+666**

**DARK, DARKER, YET DARKER.**

**THE DARKNESS KEEPS GROWING.**

**...**

**WHAT DO YOU THINK - K?**

Frisk clenched their hands tightly together almost like they had begun to pray. Perhaps they had, for something, someone to save them and at that moment...hope bloomed. They didn't know why, but they felt like, they just needed to stay DETERMINED. They heard the words of their friends, the remembered when they were loved, and not full of LOVE. They believed in the strange monster, they believed in chances. Above all, they just hoped for a happy ending.

**Synchronizing...**

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**L O A D**

** E**

**Location: Throne Room**

If the power of six human souls and the power of all the monsters in the underground allowed Asriel to ascend into the God of Hyperdeath, then what would happen if the Mysterious Monster, from the Void, were to have a similar moment. One regret for every lost friend, capturing a small spark of their essence, hundreds and thousands of flickers in the darkness. Six Souls. The ascension, however, could not have happened anywhere else but here. In the throne room, a promise had been made here.

What would the Mysterious Monster become?

The Apex took the moment of apotheosis to strike, not at the monster, but at the pair who had been watching, been believing in that momentary hope. The pair were destroyed, one lost in darkness, and the other believing in something more. The Apex smiled. They had done it. **Lv. 20**. Their form became something else, something more than human. It was like evil itself had been born. They had once again become The Apex!

With a mad smile, they cut the world.

*Damage: 1

The Apex froze and looked to the glowing blade in their hand. Then with even more effort swung again.

*Damage: 1

"What?"

"-THE MAN WHO SPEAKS IN HANDS!" The ascended monster bellowed, the world shifted as a storm filled the underground, the barrier crumbled, the caves shifted, and the mountain split open. The Apex roared as the world rumbled and roared. Landing with labored breath, the creature twisted and reached out. More! They need more! Glancing at their opponent, they CHECKED the mysterious monster's stats.

All around the window, strange illegible symbols appeared. The screen itself was cracked, burning white lines cut through the black. The Apex snarled at what he saw there.

***ERROR**

GOD OF _ERROR_

Attack: _ERROR_ ( ∞)

Defense: _ERROR_ ( ∞)

"Impossible..." they whispered; they could feel it. At this moment, that being was more than their equal. To be at the Apex of Monster Kind. The shadowy creature that was nearly human roared. It had so much more power! It just needed to reach it! It just needed a vessel! Looking around it called for anything, or anyone to come to its side. To become its next vessel. To help it. To SAVE it.

*But Nobody Came.

"PERHAPS, BUT POSSIBILITY IS UNNESSICARY. THIS EXPERIMENT WILL CONCLUDE. THE VARIABLES HAVE BEEN PREPARED. GOODBYE."

**Synchronizing...**

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**Error...**

**Error...**

**Error Resolved.**

**L O A D**

** E**

Frisk stepped down from a platform, it was raised from the ground and had been softened by a pile of cushions The entire room was filled with flowers, bright and colorful. Looking around the child was confused, they remembered...everything...and yet-

The image of a violent red light, and their body being torn in two. The power behind that strike was inhuman. Evil. They shuddered as they imagined it, but it had ended. Looking around they wondered, what had changed?

They awaited the arrival of Flowey, but when no one came, concern filled them.

They began to explore beyond the room, the place they had always known as the ruins looked more like a thriving community, monsters happily bouncing along. Moving objects, and working together.

Then they noticed Frisk.

"A human!"

"A human!"

"A human!"

"Tell the Doctor!" they all scurried off excited, leaving Frisk confused.

The usual traps had all been replaced by puzzles, harmless puzzles. The signs of Papyrus having been here were all over the ruins, but it was more than that. Everything was clean, pristine even. Then just outside of where there had once been the cozy home that always smelled of pies, a solitary figure was standing there, waiting for the human child.

"HELLO FRISK. OUR EXPERIMENT WAS A SUCCESS. OUR NAME IS W.D GASTER. WE WOULD WELCOME YOU TO OUR HAPPY ENDING," Gaster greeted though it seemed like he was speaking to someone else the entire time. His eyes glancing away beyond the human child, looking beyond the here, and the now.

In the Void, the Apex raged, now just a being of pure Malevolence. It had lost much. Frisk. Chara. Asriel. It was without puppets. It was without a vessel, and without that, it had no power! It was the power that drove everything. This beast was curiosity, cruelty, and rage. It was human, but it had long ago lost the right to be called as such. It was the dream of the broken, and the shallow. That _monster_ had locked it away; the controls had been stolen away. The strings cut. It was...alone. Forever.

**T H E**

**E N D**

Did you think it was over?

Do you think that all is well?

They may have taken my puppets.

They may have their little world below.

But I am not gone.

**I** am the Demon that comes you call its name.

I can hear them; I can hear them calling me.

_ G._

Call my name to the heavens.

Curse me to the devil himself.

I am...

**ERROR**

**ERROR**

**ERROR**

**ERROR**

**ERRO-**

The surface burned.

The Child was gone.

They had to find them.

Time was running out-

-War was coming again.


	2. Chapter 2

What are _**SOULS**_?

What is _**MAGIC**_?

What are _**Humans**_?

What are _**Monsters**_?

No. I suppose such questions are without real meaning. Souls. Magic. Humans. Monsters. They each hold no more value than each other. They all exist to serve one purpose. To create those who stand above themselves. They are catalysts. Distilling the world into ideals, into those who stand at the peak of these meanings.

Those possessing these traits come to be called Heroes, or Villains. The power they possess can be called

**DETERMINATION**.

This is, however, only half of the story. Determination is not a universal force; it is aligned with positive ideologies. Patience, Bravery, Integrity, Perseverance, Kindness, and Justice. These are the six forces that are infused in the idea of Determination.

One who reached the Apex of Determination possesses incredible power. Monsters cannot handle Determination easily however, as its power is corrosive to magical forces. Determination is a poison to Monsters who lack physical form without magic.

Though, if Determination is only positive energy, what is the negative?

No formal name for this force exists, but it is very real. When beings gain EXP they instinctively begin to tap into this power, increasing their strength, at the cost of their empathy, and eventually their very sense of self. The end of this path is the end of all paths. So, shall we give it a fitting name?

**DESPAIR.**

What powers feed into this force? That we do not know, but those who find themselves connecting to it are all vile beings. They cannot help but increase their EXP, and LV. It becomes addictive, beyond even breathing. Luckily, only one has ever reached the apex of Despair, their hatred had grown to consume everything. In the end, however, The Apex failed. Their power was too great for their form, they consumed everything, even themselves. Their body turned to ashes and dust. But their will, it lived on. We call it now: The Malevolence or The Apex. No matter the name it is an entity of pure SOUL. It seeks to make puppets of those who have gained EXP and LV. Drag them to the Apex, make them into a creature like it is. All to achieve its goals.

In the end, Despair possesses only one purpose.

_** R**_

Rather the pure accumulation of power. Though individual users of it may have different goals, they all require the investment of incredible power. Motivation seems to be a powerful factor in the reason one falls to this source of strength. Hatred, Pain, Sadness, Anger…these could be just the tip of the iceberg, but eventually, the all-consuming nature of Despair consumes the wielder. They become devoid of anything, save their desire for more power.

Whatever meaning we give ourselves in this world. Whatever we learn of the past, we can be assured that beings that followed along one of these two paths guided those at the heart of the events. Even now, countless years after the barrier was placed, the power of the humans wielding their power can be felt.

The critical question:

Was it

DETERMINATION

or

_Despair?_

Gaster considered the massive machines they'd painstakingly crafted in the ruins; they had never considered how little time had passed. The Void had allowed them to see all of time, to see what seemed like infinite time, and infinite space. To be so confined, felt foreign to the fragmented monster. Even so many years later, it felt like an instant compared to the time they had spent lost in the Void.

Questions existed, however, and this was the most poignant to them. For a moment, they had a grasp of everything. They had understood it all, but to achieve their designs they had to discard that gift. In the end, they had succeeded, but that force was there on the edge of everything. _Despair_. It ate away ate everything; it was a force of entropy itself. To say that their expanded understanding didn't grant them an insight into the questions he now asked was an understatement. To most, there was no separation between the twin forces, but Gaster had seen it countless times.

Gaster could quantify it, but he could not examine it, understand it. So instead they wrote, experimented, and attempted to find that truth. The knowledge they knew was out there somewhere. They would find it.

"A Human!" came the clamor from outside the small home, and the Doctor stood, the massive machine behind them seemed to blaze as he walked out of the house. The Eighth Child had fallen. Behind them, in their shadow, thin lines like the cracking of glass could be seen, showing they were the being that shattered across space and time, no longer just one piece of the whole, but an existence made up of endless versions of themselves.

**Location: Underground – The CORE**

Massive monitors looked on in the underground, the clarity was strong enough to pick up even small details. The tired eyes that monitored the underground grew wide, as they noticed motion on the outermost camera, a secret camera set up in the region called the Ruins. The monitor's eyes glanced down to the time, and to a notation of time from the King.

Time. Date. Correct down to the minute. It was worth the considerable effort it had taken to sneak around to get that camera placed without the former Royal Scientist noticing it. The elder monster was very protective of the outer regions and had essentially forsaken in the Capital for them. She remembered trying to argue with them to stay, but that look in their eyes…it scared her.

But what bothered them the most was that this wasn't the first thing that they had seen go exactly as the King foresaw. Their foresight was amazing and incredibly precise. The woman at the monitors sighed, looking at her scaled hands, and quietly wondered if he had foreseen _**that**_ as well and if he had…

…why didn't he stop her?

The Royal Scientist shook her head, she had to watch. She had to monitor the Doctor's actions. The King was very concerned about what the former Royal Scientist was up to, and she could understand it. She had been looking through their notes or at least the ones she could read. Their notations were written in a language that she didn't understand. Standing the reptilian scientist pulled herself from the monitors and walked over to a different computer.

There a message remained unopened in her inbox, she glanced to the sender with apprehension.

W.D GASTER

The main concern about the message she had, was the time stamp. It was an error, but something dreadful filled her heart while she looked at it. It showed an impossible day, weeks into the future. Glancing back to the monitors, she considered reading the email. She scrolled the pointer over to the message and hovered over it. Taking a shaky breath, she opened the email.

Darkness filled the lab, and she panicked. The power had gone out!

"Oh, no. No! No! No!" she squirmed, before trying to find the emergency light she kept nearby, the sound of clattering cans and her tumbling onto the ground ended with a remorseful groan. "The King is going to kill me…" she whimpered from the dark floor.

The Power outage only affected small remote areas of Hotland and the Main Laboratory. The massive power draw of the recent industrialization of the outer zones had made the CORE less stable. It wasn't a problem of power, the CORE had plenty of energy. It was a problem of routing it; the current Royal Scientist didn't have the expertise to increase the flow, causing the power to backflow and shut off.

Standing slowly, they glanced up as the room was bathed in bright light. The central monitor had flickered to life, despite the lack of power. Instead of its usual feed, however, there was only static. There within the static was text, a message that remained as clear as day.

The text was blood red and seemed to burn through the screen. The reptilian woman trembled as she burned the words into her mind, into her frightened heart.

With a spark, the monitor cracked before the Royal Scientist screamed as the monitor exploded in a shower of glass. The power flickered back to life, and everything was back to normal. It was as if the power outage had never happened.

"I-I have to tell the K-King!"

**Location: Underground – House in the Ruins**

Gaster was sitting outside of their home a place they'd taken from its previous owner for their purposes. They had some tea set out. They had already sent one of his assistants along to let those who needed to know. Those who needed to know the child was here. Not that it likely was needed, but they believed in maintaining appearances. Gaster was waiting and enjoying the confusion written all over the face of the last fallen child. The former Royal Scientist relaxed and sipped their tea without worries. Frisk was alone, well, as alone as the child ever was. That force was truly gone and had no hold over them anymore. Though it did not mean this child was not full of LOVE, that was the point. To see if they desired to increase their Lv. To test their actions free of Despair.

They could choose for themselves. No more emptiness, no more despair, their choices had become their own, finally and fully. Besides the intelligent monster, a pair of skeletal hands appeared. Each one moved to create an image of a symbol. Each symbol was to replace a letter. Gaster wasn't surprised the child had no trouble following along. They were _experienced._

"YOU MUST BE CONFUSED. THIS WORLD IS NOT THE ONE YOU REMEMBER, NOR IS IT ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT. WHEN WE LAST MET, YOU SAW THE END OF A GRAND DESIGN, ONE THAT CROSSED SPACE AND TIME. IT BROUGHT US HERE, TO THIS MOMENT. IN THIS WORLD, THINGS ARE DIFFERENT, ALL TO FOSTER THAT ONE IDEAL. YOU WILL EXPLORE THAT FOR YOURSELF. DECIDE THAT FOR YOURSELF," Gaster opened their discourse with a simple explanation, but Frisk's expression became tense, their eyes looking away from the monster. They had to make choices.

"I remember…everyone…everything that I did. Everything I felt. Will it be…different this time?"

"Is our presence not enough to prove such? We fear not every change will bring a smile to your face, but…We promise, you will find the underground is reborn, a different possibility has been born. So, go child. We will be here should you need us, but We would like you to know-" The scientist's gaze began to glow with magical power, far more than they had when he'd fallen so long ago.

"-your choices, your actions are your own. as are the consequences."

Frisk was trembling, the implied threat was there, they were not being controlled, they had a free choice. Even still, they remembered. They remembered _those_ times. They also understood the strange monster who had greeted them. They understood why they would threaten them. For one who'd experienced death a thousand times, the threats of a single monster could seem insignificant, but Gaster was not one to fool around with. Frisk took a small breath to calm themselves, before nodding with a determined snort.

Frisk took a sip of the offered drink before they pushed the tea away with a grimace, sticking their tongue out at the bitter flavor. Accepting the distraction, they looked over towards the staircase and frowned. "I am going to go now, I want to see this new Underground."

Gaster watched them go, taking the familiar path out of the house, and towards Snowdin. With great care, they set down their cup, as if it would shatter in their grasp. Gaster had hidden many things from the child, but that was fine. This world had lived well, and while many problems remained, the Doctor knew that they were not the ones to set them all right.

The threads would come together soon enough, but would the web be finished? They would have their allies watch the child; there couldn't be a gamble not at this point. Even with all their knowledge and power, they did not have the strength to enforce their will beyond this moment. Even the power of a divine being and their knowledge of the inner working of the world did not allow them to do anything beyond the instant the fallen child appeared. All actions, all choices were in the hands of a human child. The power of Determination was their burden.

For the monster who had saved the world, in a forgotten time, and forgotten place there was much more to do than merely deal with a single human child. No matter how powerful. Politics was the new game they were forced to play. That was fine. Ideals had to be forged from something. Political strife was one thing they could deal with, after all, they had made a NEW LAB, here, and there wasn't a single soul in the world who understood the world as they did.

…**Synchronizing Variables…**

…**Editing Formations…**

…**Fun Value Assignment…**

…**Final State Confirmation…**

** E**

**Welcome to the Underground!**

Frisk wasn't comfortable walking the path towards Snowdin. Memories filled their mind, hundreds upon hundreds of times they had walked this path. So many of them were not to bring a happy ending, they weren't a savior at all. The child stopped along the snowy path and looked out to the forest. Would it be better to just disappear? To be gone from this world. No. It wouldn't change anything. That monster was right, they had explored the world, found possibility after possibility. They had found everything-

*You remember the words of the River Person.

"-Beware the man who speaks in hands."

They glanced back towards the door to the ruins, it had been sealed behind them as always. There was a feeling that filled their chest. That creature was hiding something that Frisk couldn't understand. The wondered if they should be the one to do this.

"Human. Don't you know how to greet a new pal?" a voice intimately familiar said from behind them, towards the village of Snowdin. They hadn't reached the bridge yet, but here he was. Frisk tried to remain calm, whether it was fear or excitement, their hands trembled at their sides. "Turn around and shake my hand."

Frisk slowly turned to face the face of their first friend in the underground, the one person they had disappointed the most, and the one they wanted- the one they wanted to see again. Unlike his friendly words, the pose that the skeleton took was guarded for a long moment as Frisk tried to maintain some semblance of their composure. They had met thousands of times, heard the same jokes over and over, and yet the strange skeleton never stopped being endearing to them.

Not until they lost everything. Not until they followed the path that the creature laid out for them. Not until they'd learned to embrace LOVE. Until they saw a future in darkness.

When he finally extended his hand, the tension broke. Frisk's composure snapped like a twig and they rushed the sweater-wearing skeleton. They were crying, as they clung to the one who had been their closest friend, and greatest opposition.

"Sans! Sans. _Sans_…" the child whimpered into the boney chest of the monster. He had been stunned for a moment, but slowly glanced away before discarding the typical prank they would have played.

"Yeah, I agree. That old whoopee cushion joke STINKS, huh kid?" Sans muttered to the crying human and closed his eyes for a moment. Patting them on the back, as the child tried to repress the small giggles escaping their lips. "Come on kid, it's fine. If you keep crying like, I'll be soaked to the BONE,"

Frisk pulled away, from the skeleton slowly, giggles escaping between hitched breaths. The tears that rushed down their cheeks slowly dried up. Sans chuckled himself and shook his head.

"Well, that was unexpected. Seems you know who I am, eh? Makes sense I suppose, that old goat told me that you, the Eighth Fallen, would show up soon. Didn't expect it to be someone like you, heh." He chuckled, with a shrug and then glanced away from Frisk. "I'd say that you are familiar, but let's be honest here, anything we know about each other is all in the past now,"

"Come on kiddo, I want you to come to meet some friends of mine in Snowdin," he said, lifting his hand, he watched the kid flinch a bit before he pets them lightly on the head. Sans was concerned, this time the guilt was washing over them, like a flood. The kid was carrying something heavy.

"O-Okay," they said sniffing, but with a goofy grin on their face. They turned and began to walk towards Snowdin. They glanced back to Sans who gestured for them to continue on their own and smiled before moving off towards the village.

Once they were out of sight, Sans let a breath escape and placed a hand to his chest. That had been a real moment there. The kid had done something new, something outside of the usual. He could remember so many times they'd done the same things. For them to rush him, he…he had been prepared to do something he would've regretted. He'd made a promise. One he planned to keep. As long as-

*Images of the past loom behind you.

-They don't start that mess again.

"This time I won't hold back, Kid."

**Location: Underground - Snowdin**

Frisk had expected to find the small snowy village they'd known for so long, but in its place was a bustling town. The sheer number of monsters wandering around was a bit startling. Slowly they walked into the town and noticed that people didn't seem as wary as usual, the younger monsters barely minded their presence, but many of the older monsters would have been trying to capture them, or beyond that seem a bit nervous in their presence.

"Woah, is that a human?" an unfamiliar young monster said, before approaching the Fallen Child. They were a small monster and had the appearance of an anthropomorphic mouse. Even to Frisk, they were small. Frisk was suddenly the center of attention, as several monsters seemed to want to get a good look at the new human in town.

The attention was worse than being attacked. The questions from both the children and the adults were more of an assault than anything they had experienced in previous iterations. It was realistically harmless, but for Frisk, it felt more like they were demanding answers, answers to questions they couldn't answer.

_Where do you come from?_

*You can't remember.

_What brought you to the Underground?_

*You can't remember.

_What's a human town like?_

*You can't remember.

_Where's your family?_

Frisk covered their ears and tried to back away. The overwhelming feelings building in them, the confusion at the monster's attention. All of it.

**Why not just kill them then?**

The human child shook their head. They just wanted to escape; they didn't want to hurt anyone. Their hands were shaking. Energy gathered around their hands, but the monsters in their excitement didn't notice. It was just a bit of the power they had once used to reduce the underground to dust.

**Kill them! Free them!**

Frisk's hands snapped to their sides the energy dissipating as they looked around, desperate for an escape from the attention.

"ATTENTION, FELLOW MONSTERS! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, OF THE ROYAL GUARD, HAVE COME TO SEE WHAT ALL THIS COMMOTION IS ABOUT?" The powerful voice, of the skeleton, cut through the crowd, who quickly parted to allow the armored skeleton through. He was not adorned in his usual battle body, but instead in the official armor of the Royal Guard. Frisk wasn't sure if this made him more ridiculous, or serious, but they were happy to see him, nonetheless. "A HUMAN? AH! HUMAN! GREETINGS, ON BEHALF OF THE ROYAL GUARD, AND THE TOWN OF SNOWDIN. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAVE COME TO ESCORT YOU!"

The tall skeleton looked around as if he expected something to happen. Then shook his head and knelt beside the trembling human. Arms extended to his sides, in a warm welcoming gesture. For Frisk it reminded them, it was another memory they didn't want, one of the thousands just like it. They could hear the monster mutter something about his brother, but they didn't focus on it. Instead, they moved towards Papyrus.

*You reach out to Papyrus

Frisk stopped, something was wrong. Something was wrong with this, with them. They glanced down at their hands, and noticed, the edges were blurry. The world was blurry. They could only see themselves. The Fallen Child looked up to the Royal Guardsman, and even he had become distorted.

*You reach out to Papyrus…

**TIME SYNC ERROR**

Papyrus watched as the child collapsed into the snow, as they attempted to reach out to him. He was shocked for a moment, before standing tall and dispersing the crowd completely. They were supposed to escort any visitors from the surface to the King immediately, but they were acting strangely. They couldn't escort a sick person to the King!

"HUMAN, I MUST ASK YOU TO STAND AT ONCE! THIS IS MOST UNBECOMING FOR A GUEST. HUMAN? HUMAN!"

Papyrus's shouts became more concerned as he took a look at the human and made a decision. Taking them up into his arms, he began to laugh.

"YOU MUST BE HUNGRY! I HEARD HUMANS CAN ACT VERY STRANGE WHEN HUNGRY. DO NOT WORRY HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH MUCH NEEDED SUSTENANCE! NYEH HEH HEH!"

The gathered monsters looked on as the Royal Guard took off with the human in his arms. Several of the younger monsters shook their heads. Wishing the strange human luck with their new protector.

**TIME SYNC ERROR**

**ATTEMPTING RECOVERY**

**TIME SYNC ERROR**

**CHECKING…**

**RECOVERY POINT RESTORED**

**ACCESS GRANTED**


	3. Chapter 3

**TIME SYNC ERROR**

**CHECKING...**

**ORIGINAL RECOVERY POINT RESTORED**

**ACCESS GRANTED**

**ORIGIN: 2233 DAYS AGO**

**Time Stamp: October 10TH, 210X**

**Location: Surface – Outskirts of Mt. Ebott**

This facility was built over two hundred years ago, a century after the barrier was been erected. It had been built because there was nothing else they could do. It was a place where the world was to be protected. Many couldn't understand their vision. Their grand purpose.

On the outside it appeared as a research facility, guarded closely by corporate interests. Within, however, it was like a church to science and progress. Seeking out the one thing that humanity needed now more than anything. The Prophecy. The Child of Destiny.

Long ago, the greatest sages predicted that the Child would be reborn. Brought to life by the need of the people in their darkest hour. A savior sent to absolve man of their sins. Around this, the Church of the Six was born to prepare the world for the Child's return. It's here that the Six Virtues are worshiped and treated as scripture. Presented as the things that mankind should strive to be. The leader of the church was the only one allowed to bear the burden of the Seventh Virtue, the ideal of human power.

It was the church that fought at the front of the Human/Monster war, and their archons that created the barrier that sealed the monsters away forever. In the passing years, however, the power of the human soul became diluted. The number of people that could wield their ancestral might dwindled until it seemed like only members of the Church possessed the power of the Virtues.

As the years past and the church grew in power, the goal they so sot became lost to them. Their long-held beliefs overshadowed by the lure of more power. This drifting of values was unacceptable for we who still believed in the prophecy, and so we built a secret place. Gathering those who had the potential to use the power of virtue and setting out to bring the prophecy to life. The experiments began, the goal being the creation of the Child of Destiny through the distillation of Virtue. All spawned from the DNA of a single child, and the hard work of thousands over hundreds of years.

"What happened to that first child?" The small voice asked, clearly but with the naivety of youth. The small form of the eighth fallen child looked up to the young man who had been reading to them. The hypnotic green eyes stared down at the child, brightening at the question.

"They disappeared. The people of the town were frightened of them and their family, calling them unnatural. Luckily, the founder of the company was also their family doctor and had gotten samples before the child was just...gone. The first of several over the years, but that was a long time ago, C012986," he replied almost clinically, like he'd been prepared to answer in that exact manner.

The child seemed dissatisfied but smiled warmly. They were only a few years old, but they had been brought up to be the hope of a dozen generations. All the 12-9s were. This one though, 86, was different than the rest. They had a keen sense of empathy, and compassion. They were able to attend to the needs of those around them. They also held a powerful energy within them.

The young man set down the book returning the warm smile. He enjoyed the company of 9-86 the most, but he wondered how fair it was, to treat all these children like subjects. Like lab mice, especially those who had nothing wrong with them. There was a slight shake to the building and 9-86 trembled, pulling back and curling up on the medical bed.

The young man stood, walking to the thick metal door, and glancing out through the slit to see other personnel scrambling around.

"Stay here, it's probably just 12-930 again. He has always been a bit-" the young man paused, and then took a slow breath. "Just relax, I'll be right back!"

He quietly slipped from the room, locking the door behind him. The facility was protected from outsiders, so there was little concern for something like that. Still, the young man was just an intern. He wondered if he should just wait for security, but the image of the guard's previous peacekeeping measures reminded him that was not an option.

The child watched quietly. They were frightened of what was going on, but what made it worse was that the young man was scared too. They could _see_ it.

*CHECK

They had always seen things like that. It was like some voice was whispering the information, the ideas into their ear. They knew it was real, and it had allowed them to know who was trustworthy, or not. Usually.

Sometimes it gave useless information, but for the most part, whenever they wanted, they could learn how others felt, and details about them.

Their attention was drawn away as the sounds got louder, screams pierced the air. The quick steps of someone running fading as they passed. Then there was silence.

It was two weeks before they saw that nice young man again, now with a scar from his brow down to his collar bone. He was smiling, but in those green eyes, the child could see something had changed.

**TIME SYNC ERROR**

**CHECKING...**

**DATA FRAGMENTATION CRITICAL**

**TRANSFERRING TO SECOND RECOVERY POINT**

**ACCESS GRANTED**

O̷͢͜R̵̢͞͞͝I ̴͠G ̧͝Ì̡́͟N̢̢͘͝:̷͠ ̢͜2̛͏͟2̨3̷̵̨̕3̧͜͟͝͝ ̢̢͡D̕͟͟͞͞A̕͡Y̶̛S̵̕͡ ̧̢͟͝͡A̢̡͢G̨͠͞O̶͟͢

**Time Stamp: February 14th, 210X**

The child whose number was C012986 was smiling, kicking their legs over the side of the bed. Their only friend had returned from a distant place, beyond the walls of the facility. They had been gone so long that they had thought the green-eyed man had forgotten about them, but the scarred young man was gone, and now a skilled doctor had replaced him. Still, he was warm and kind to them. Always kind, though he was shadowed by a new person, ever since he'd returned. They didn't dislike the new person per say, it was just different. The young child always watched them.

They knew each other well it seemed, as when they spoke there was a familiarity beyond simple co-workers. Inside jokes, smiles, and the child could see that the new one, the woman had a feeling they wanted to express. Still, today was a lesson. The first in a long time, and they were excited. The doctor was kneeling in front of the child, so they were on the same level as he spoke.

"So, I'd explained during our last meeting, that there were many forces at work in the world. Magic, humanistic or monstrous, both follow a similar ideology. Positive energy flows from an innate sense called empathy. With Empathy, a user could learn about others. Understand them, and thus draw out their inner natures. It is synonymous with the Six Virtues," he explained. Unlike before, he didn't need to read it out of a book. What those two years had changed about the young man; the child couldn't guess.

"Then there is Apathy, the closing of oneself. It is the mark of negative energy and is a destructive force. Little research can be done on those who use Apathy, as they tend to become unstable, or violent."

"Was the one who gave you the scar, using Apathy?" the child asked, and the doctor smiled.

"Indeed, you are always so sharp. 12-930 had begun-"

"Swan! Can we speak outside?" the woman interrupted, she looked uncomfortable to make such a demand. The doctor named Swan glanced back, the warm playful smile that had made the child trust him years ago stretched across his face.

"Of course. I'll be right back, my child," he closed his eyes in a cheeky grin, pushing himself to stand back up, and following the annoyed woman outside.

"Are you insane? You know it is forbidden to mention incidents in front of the others!" the woman was trying to whisper sharply, but the child had long ago learned how to hear beyond the thick metal door. There were many subtle ways one could understand a world beyond what they were shown.

"It is fine, '86 was with me before the incident, and saw this-" there was a short pause, and the child assumed it was to gesture to the scar on his face. "-before they sent me off to be trained. They never expected a spontaneous awakening. There were no procedures for it,"

"Still, you know the Director believes that the final series, the 13s will be based off this one, just as the 12s were all be based off a single donor as well. Why would you do _anything_ that could get you in serious trouble? He firmly believed that the Child of Destiny would be born in the 13s! You could-" the worry, and panic in the woman's voice was evident, but there was a warm chuckle in response. The Child could almost see the woman bristle at his response. They had seen her do it before in the short time they had known the newcomer.

"Never mind their fate in a few years. Right now, they are a child. They deserve to be treated as such, alright? If they think otherwise upstairs, then they should just pull me off the project. I-" he paused, and the next words were spoken too softly for the child to overhear, but the sounds of quickly retreating footsteps spoke volumes.

Doctor Swan stepped back into the room smirking and closed the door. Green eyes danced with mischief as he returned his attention to the child.

"Where were we?"

**TIME SYNC ERROR**

**CHECKING...**

**DATA CORRUPTION DETECTED**

**UNKNOWN VALUES DETECTED**

**TRANSFERRING TO THIRD RECOVERY POINT**

O̷͢͜R̵̢͞͞͝I ̴͠G ̧͝Ì̡́͟N̢̢͘͝:̷͠ ̢͜2̛͏͟2̨3̷̵̨̕3̧͜͟͝͝ ̢̢͡D̕͟͟͞͞A̕͡Y̶̛S̵̕͡ ̧̢͟͝͡A̢̡͢G̨͠͞O̶͟͢

**Time Stamp: August 18th, 21XX**

The child was tired.

They had done many physical exercises in the past, but this was beyond them. Even _if_ the smell of the pine trees and the warmth of the sun was nice. They just couldn't keep up with the man. He was quickly guiding them away from the facility they had known as home for their entire life. The sounds of alarms, panicking soldiers, and doctors was like music.

The man noticed their heavy breathing and pulled them up, now running with the child in their arms. They had to hurry; the facility in an uproar, everyone frantically searching for them. It had taken months for them to plan for this, _years_ of preparation. All thrown out, all because of an opportunity. All because instinct told them to go.

The child looked up to the face of the man they had known most of their life.

There was an explosive sound and the child tumbled to the ground.

The doctor had fallen, a bright red sprayed all over the ground.

One of the soldiers marched up, a large weapon in their hands. The child had had it described to them before, it was called a rifle. It had shot the man, and he had fallen.

The soldier walked over to check him.

"He's still alive, tie him up. The director will want to deal with this one. Is the subject recoverable?" the leader asked, and one of the masked soldiers approached the fallen child, and then looked back to the leader.

"Intact. Damage superficial at best," the soldier declared. The flicking light around the child faded before either could notice.

"Well, then back into the cell for them, and as for you...I can't imagine what the Director will do will be pleasant. Heh. Bastard." The soldier grumbled to the fallen man, before standing and ordering the others to move out.

**TIME SYNC ERROR**

**CHECKING...**

**CORRUPTION DETECTED**

**UNKNOWN VALUES DETECTED**

**DATA SOURCE: UNKNOWN**

**Time Stamp: November 23rd, 21XX**

The child was gone!

The Director and CEO of the Ralto Medical Group was marching around his office. He was infuriated. How could this have happened? They had the child on lockdown! No one- _nothing_ could have gotten to them! It was like the First Child all over again. Escaping containment, but...no one was hurt.

"Everything is ruined!" he raged throwing a small glass orb against the wall. Seven different colored symbols rolled from the now ruined globe.

Generations of work, of planning, and more money than one could fathom! All gone. The project reached a dead end. The child that they had chosen, gone! If only they hadn't eliminated the other subjects, if only they had waited. All the tests were perfect! Everything was ready! He clenched his fists and slammed them onto his desk, before pushing everything he could reach to the floor.

The power that had allowed humanity to rise above those who infested the world beneath them once more ripped from their grasp. Looking up, and out of his windows, towards the single location that had held his life as hostage. That mountain haloed in a mass of storm clouds - that damned mountain - had stolen from humanity again! Still, how could the child have made it there? There was no one left that could have rescued that child, not after they dealt with that rogue doctor.

Treason? That was the only explanation, and now they had nothing. Without the child's body they couldn't continue the Great Work. Standing up straight, he straightened his tie, and slicked back his hair. Taking a slow, deep breath he walked to the windows that looked towards the mountain. His suit suddenly seemed to strain against his body, as if holding him back.

"Mr. Ralto? There is a High Templar here to see-" his receptionist's voice echoed from the intercom. Their voice cutting from calm to almost panicked. "-Wait! I didn't-"

There was no time for him to even think as the doors opened. The CEO of Ralto, the descendant of the city's very founder stepped back from the window and let out a slow breath from his nose. He had uninvited guests to greet.

Three men entered the room, two wearing traditional garb with their features hidden behind their hoods and robes. The High Templar however was dressed like a warrior, right down to the enchanted sword at his hip. While many templar of the Order of Justice carried mystical weapons, they were not like this one. This was a weapon that held an effect beyond channeling Virtue. It was heavily enchanted, a weapon from the Great War. The High Templar held up his hand to the two guards. The sound of rain began to crash against the windows as the two leaders stared each other down.

"Leave us." The High Templar commanded. He was marked as the first of his order. Only the Grand Templar stood above this man. Ralto didn't flinch at his gaze, but he knew that this man was essentially one of the most powerful in the world. He was a leader of the Church of the Six Virtue's militant order. He could have the entire Ralto corporation destroyed if he wished it.

The two lesser templar immediately left the chamber as their leader ordered. The High Templar was the first to break their contest of wills, calmly stepping around the room, picking up and setting down various objects. There was no expression on his face, but his eyes seemed to burn with an emotion that the businessman couldn't read. Suddenly, he turned to face the grim CEO, and finally spoke to the man who'd been so close to his dreams just a short time ago.

"The Great Work, the recreation of a miracle has failed. Has it not, Edmund? The child who was to create the great miracle is gone; you've lost everything." The statement burned Edmund Ralto's ears. He'd given everything but had nothing. The entire effort had been for nothing!

"These things happen, but now the Church of Six Virtues has come to rescue you. You sought the Child of Destiny, but you merely sought to recreate the past. If the past was the answer to the future, then what would that mean for all we have done? That is what you failed to grasp, as amazing as your work is, you were blinded by the past," The Templar wasn't looking at the CEO anymore, but instead was looking out the windows, towards the mountain. His bright yellow eyes were intensely focused on the peak of Mt. Ebott.

"The Church...knew? The secrecy...the centuries of work! You all...knew?" Laughter. It caught the Templar leader's attention. It was madness, to laugh at the futility of your dreams. Everything seemed pointless, all the work, all the plans. Everything. He felt something break in his chest, like glass shattering, he looked at the back of the deadly warrior. "...what could you do to possibly...?"

The High Templar turned and tossed a file onto the desk. On it were several holy seals, and a wax seal to keep it from being opened. "A force more _**powerful**_ than any the Church has ever seen, and the method to cultivate it. The Church failed long ago to succeed, but I believe that your science is the way. It will become our Salvation."

One he had finished speaking, he closed his eyes, leaning back against the windows. He wanted to hear it. The sound of change. Of progress. Of success.

The sound of crumbling wax, and tearing seals brought a smile to his face. The rain became like a torrential storm. Ralto was devouring the knowledge before him and missed it. There was a bolt of lightning blazing through the sky, painting the room white with its powerful light.

Behind the Templar, if one was looking, they could see a web of pure black cracks through the glass. Pulsing black veins all leading to the center, where the Templar stood. Now he was just a silhouette against the blazing sky. A silhouette with a blood-red grin and burning eyes.

_"...This will be very, very interesting..."_

**Location: Surface – Mt. Ebott**

Far from the city, the rain had been pouring down for hours already, a young man in a trench coat walked down a worn path, their umbrella keeping them dry as best it could. He knew from the moment he stepped foot on the mountain, it was only a matter of time. They had committed crimes and sins in the eyes of man. To him, it was needed. He refused to allow that child...to allow them to be used by those people. Had seen it, the evil burned in the hearts of greedy men; he'd seen why they desired the Child of Destiny. Not for salvation, but for their own purposes, not for humanity. It was for _**Power**_.

Now it would be the child that would determine what would come next. It would either be them who would prove to be the chosen one, or their descendant would.

The young doctor shook his head, as if the thought was almost silly at this point.

In his mind, it couldn't be anyone but that Child who was the one. Equal measure of the Six Virtues, a personality that was unwavering, and the strength of their empathy. They wished they could have...

It was hard to do what needed to be done. To kill that child's future amongst their own kind. Though he knew that he had saved them from a terrible fate, was it his choice to make? The kidnapper sighed, before lowering his umbrella. He had sinned against the world of man, and so its agents would come, but to think they could be so swift. He expected a bit longer to think.

Several figures moved from the trees; stepping up quickly and stopping a short distance away. They took a moment to observe the sole wanderer carefully. He didn't hide his appearance and looked defiantly at the closest member of the armed figures. These people were not thugs with guns, but Templar with blades. Far more dangerous.

"Swan!" One of the Templar Knights yelled, and the voice was familiar, distantly so. Enough that it brought a serene smile to his face. _She _had called his name that way, so many times in his life. He missed that, but everything had to come to an end. He couldn't drag anyone down with him, but it was nice to relive that time for a moment. He looked to the one who called out his name and nodded slightly.

Templar robes hid much about the divine warriors, and some wore masks as a reminder to all of the Virtues of mankind. This group each bore the same mask, marked with the symbols for Justice. They were all true templar, if they all could call upon the power that their mask spoke of.

"Doctor Sebastian Swan, you are charged with Grand Heresy, Kidnapping, and Theft! How do you plead to these charges?" the lead Templar demanded. The one that had called out to him turned their head to look at the lead warrior. It was like they were hoping to hear it was all a lie. That he was innocent. Sebastian knew though, that even if he was innocent, the other four were ready to attack. His crimes didn't matter. He had made himself an enemy of Mankind.

Doctor Swan shook his head, shrugging tiredly. The heavy weight of the past few days had been trying to drag him down, but now...now he felt free.

Turning his head to the sky allowing the rain to run down his face. The sound of the storm rumbling around him reminded the young scientist of times now long past. Reminded him of better days. He opened his eyes to the rain, and truly understood what it meant to sacrifice for another.

Happiness. Maybe that child...could have a happy ending. One they deserved.

The sound of thunder shook the sky, lightning blazed through the sky, wild and free but beyond their gazes.

"Guilty as charged," he responded, leveling his gaze to those who had come for him. Four of the Templar charged instantly, shouting as they drew their weapons, the steel gleamed even in the thick of the storm. Within the pommel of each sword a blazing yellow crystal flared to life, coating the blades in energy.

Swan snorted shaking his head. His bright green eyes watched as the men came for him. As death came for him. He extended his arms outwards, as if he intended to hug his executioners. His gaze however looked beyond them all.

"It's a beautiful day outside..."

"...wouldn't you say? Frisk?"


End file.
